A Popular Night Club Fights To Stay Alive

Both state and local investigators are looking into safety problems at Roe. The alcoholic beverage control is trying to suspend the club owner's license due to reports of numerous violent incidents. The owner is fighting the charges. If he loses, the popular night club could be shut down. Every weekend late night revelers pack Roe's dance floor. The club owner prefers words like trendy and upscale to define his establishment, but investigators called it dangerous. Nick Tarjoman owns Roe. Tarjoman said, "At the end of the day, there's absolutely not threat to public safety? like any other establishment, when we opened up we had some bugs that we had to work out."

The restaurant-night club has been open fourteen months. California's Alcoholic Beverage Control filed a three page complaint against the business, citing a surge in violence including fights, assaults and underage drinking. Jason Montgomery is an investigator with beverage control. Montgomery said, "We felt that in review of the incidents that there was in fact a threat to public safety." Montgomery is asking for Roe's license to be suspended, but the owner called the reported problems baseless. Tarjoman said, "They weren't founded. They were not substantiated by facts. They were just basically claims made by others that were not fully substantiated."

Tarjoman did increase security after city officials also threatened his permits. He paid off duty Fresno Police Officers to patrol the club. Fresno Police Captain Andy Hall says since then problems at Roe have decreased. Hall said, "I believe that the end result will be that he's doing a good job and to continue to do a good job and we will be out of each other's hair basically."

Roe's owner is now facing two hearings. On Friday, the city will review his permits and security measures. Then in January, the alcoholic beverage control will also hold a hearing where a judge can decide to suspend Roe's liquor license.